Not too long ago, we chatted about some wisdom from Steven Hayes and the practical therapeutic modality he created called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT for short.
As you may recall, we chatted about the fact that ACT is part of the “third wave” of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (along with Marsha Linehan’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction).
+1s we featured included CBT vs. ACT, The Spiderweb of Thoughts, and Defusing from Thoughts.
At the time we released those +1s, we hadn’t released our Notes on Hayes’ workbook-style ACT manual called Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life.
Now that the Notes are out (check them out here!), I want to revisit some of my favorite Ideas in a series of +1s.
So…
Let’s get to work.
First, I want to repeat that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is one of (if not) THE (!) most-proven clinical approaches to dealing with the things that stress you out in life.
Over 1,000 (!!) studies have been conducted on its efficacy.
It works.
Period.
Let’s chat about HOW it works.
Steven tells us: “ACT is not a set of idiomatic phrases and wise sayings that will lead you toward a personal revelation. Although some of the principles of ACT are as old as history, there is one major component of the therapy that is new. ACT is based on a new model of human cognition.
This model underlies specific techniques presented in this book, which are designed to help you change your approach to your problems, and the direction in which your life has been going. These techniques fall into three broad categories: mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based living.”
That’s from the Introduction in which we get a quick overview of ACT.
Here’s what you need to know...
Hayes was inspired to create ACT in response to the panic attacks he was experiencing as a young man—similar to how Marsha Linehan used her own suicidal behaviors as the catalyst and fuel for her creation of DBT.
He was deeply influenced by both Stoicism and Buddhism in his creation of ACT.
We talked about cognitive behavioral therapy’s connection to Stoicism in Donald Robertson’s The Philosophy of CBT in which we learn how Stoics influenced Aaron Beck.
ACT is a “third wave” extension of CBT, so I asked ChatGPT to let me know how Steven was influenced by Stoicism.
It told me that he once said: “Stoicism has a clear influence on ACT, especially in its focus on accepting what is beyond our control and taking committed action based on our values. Both traditions emphasize the importance of living in accordance with one’s values and understanding the limits of what we can change.”
Now...
The three categories of ACT include: mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based living.
Regarding mindfulness, Steven tells us: “Mindfulness is a way of observing your experience that has been practiced in the East through various forms of meditation for centuries. Recent research in Western psychology has proven that practicing mindfulness can have notable psychological benefits.”
And: “Using specific techniques, you will learn to look at your pain, rather than seeing the world from the vantage point of your pain.”
NOTE: That’s a VERY big distinction.
We want to LOOK at our pain objectively/mindfully/from an Observer-self perspective RATHER THAN see the world from the vantage point/through the lens of our pain. Helping us do that is a BIG part of this book.
Regarding acceptance, he tells us: “The ‘acceptance’ in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is based on the notion that, as a rule, trying to get rid of your pain only amplifies it, entangles you further in it, and transforms it into something traumatic. Meanwhile, living your life is pushed to the side.”
And: “Acceptance, in the sense it is used here, is not a nihilistic self-defeat; neither is it tolerating and putting up with your pain. It is very, very different than that. Those heavy, sad, dark forms of ‘acceptance’ are almost the exact opposite of the active, vital embrace of the moment that we mean.”
Regarding commitment and values-based living, he tells us: “When we are caught in a struggle with psychological problems we often put life on hold, believing that our pain needs to lessen before we can really begin to live again. But what if you could have your life be about what you want it to be about right now, starting this moment?”
And…
That’s Today’s +1.
Here’s to ACTing like our best selves by practicing mindfulness, acceptance, and putting our values in action…
All day.
Every day.
Especially…
TODAY.
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